Susan Poag / The Times-Picayune archiveDrivers line up to pay tolls at the Crescent City Connection toll booths in December 2008.

The plan will address layoffs for 200 employees, continued bridge maintenance and the possible phaseout of three Mississippi River ferry routes heavily subsidized by the tolls, Transportation Secretary Sherri LeBas said.

"There are a lot of questions swirling around that need answers," she said Thursday at a meeting of the bridge's oversight authority. "I want to have data about what happens if the tolls go away."

LeBas said the contingency plan would help state legislators weigh the pros and cons of renewing the tolls, which are set to expire Dec. 31, 2012.

"Whatever the legislators decide to do, at least they will have data to make an informed decision on which way to go," she said.

LeBas said the transportation department has hired a liaison to solicit public comments and extoll the benefits of the bridge, which she called an icon that "marks New Orleans just like the Superdome does."

"We want to find out what people want and let them know what they already have," she said.

The toll, which is collected from east bank-bound motorists, is $1 per two-axle vehicle for those paying cash and 40 cents for those with electronic toll tags.

LeBas said the Crescent City Connection is the nation's fifth busiest toll bridge, with an average of 190,000 vehicles per day. She said Crescent City Connection tolls are substantially lower than the four most heavily traveled bridges, which are in New York and California and charge $4 to $11.

However, many West Bank commuters have complained they haven't been getting much bang for their bucks as many road projects outlined in the state law that reauthorized tolls in 1998 have not been completed.

A bridge audit found that anticipated toll surpluses failed to materialize as costs to run the bridge and ferries spiraled out of control.

The bridge authority, which completed its sole responsibility by prioritizing the road projects years ago, has continued meeting in an advisory capacity.

Authority member Tom Arnold, the Algiers assessor, proposed forming a commission to take the politically toxic decision about whether to renew the tolls out of the hands of elected officials.

Noting that tolls have been lowered three times in the past 20 years, Arnold said it might be time to increase them.

"I don't know why tolls are 40 cents. You certainly get more than 40 cents worth of service," he said. "I can say that because I'm not running for election."

Arnold's frank opinion about such a hot-button issue raised eyebrows among his colleagues.

"He might not be running for office, but he'll be running," authority member Ray Davis said with a laugh.

With bonds financing the bridge's second span set to be paid off when the tolls expire, Davis said many bridge users don't see a compelling reason for renewing the tolls.

"People need to see what they're getting for their money before you renew the tolls, otherwise they're going to revolt," he said.

Tolls account for about 75 percent of the bridge's annual revenue of $27 million, meaning wholesale cutbacks would be required if they expire.

The three ferry routes cost about $9 million to run each year but generate just $250,000 in passenger fees.

An audit found that the bridge authority spends 28 cents for each motorist crossing the bridge, compared with $4.50 for each ferry passenger.

State transportation officials said they are exploring ways to make the ferries more self-sufficient, such as installing coffee shops in the ferry terminals.

Authority member Chris Ullo, a former state senator from Marrero, proposed bringing back "an old and controversial idea" from the 1940s, when he said passengers could play slot machines while the ferries were in the Mississippi's federal waters.

"An iron curtain would come down so you had to stop playing when the ferry got to the other side of the river," he said.